Hangover Friendly
by Lindseylin
Summary: When you lose the one thing you thought you never would, where do you go? How do you move on? Can love conquer all and pick up all of your broken pieces? When a woman meets a man who is ready to give her a new start, will she run and hide or decide to live? Canon Pairings. All Human.
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! I'm relatively new to sharing my work with the public in general and I apologize in advance for any typing/grammar errors. I do not have a Beta yet. **

**Thank you for taking the time to read this**

**Disclaimer: All of the content that is Twilight related is owned by Stephanie Meyer. The rest is my own.**

**Enjoy!**

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_August 8th, 2014_

My migraine was made worse by the strobe lights. I deal with them every night but tonight – tonight is different. I stare as the faces in the crowd. All smiling, some fake and others real. There seems to be a general sense of direction in their movements. Their bodies flow languidly against one other, speaking some sort of silent lustful rain dance. I spend most of my time surrounded by people half my age so it is not often I get to relish in this sort of atmosphere. An atmosphere in which I can forget for an hour or so that I am not the only woman in the world experiencing this kind of desperation.

God, how it would feel to communicate with someone like that.

I take another sip of my scotch and feel it sting the back of my throat. Some days are harder than others. Some days I feel detachment from everyone, I feel as if I'm floating by each person on the street and the words come naturally from my mouth as I teach the youth. Other days I feel everything. I feel every sound and emotion. Every brief touch or slight smile.

These are the times I like to write. These are the times I prefer to be alone as to not get overwhelmed. However, I needed a drink and my recent promise to abstain from solo drinking in my apartment has brought me here to _Rocketeer's Pub & Club. _

I feel a brush against my arm and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. I drag a wary eye to my left and catch a glimpse of blonde locks. I put the dream away. A hallucination. It must be.

"Ugh I'm really drunk." I mutter to myself.

"Ms. Swan. Pleasure making your acquaintance this evening." I groan and slam my glass on the bar.

"How the hell did you find me?" I deadpan. Staring into grey-blue eyes.

"Well, when my best friend refuses to answer her phone on this specific day I know she must be where there is alcohol and since you don't have a car it couldn't have been far away.

"I could've called a cab"

"You wouldn't have."

"You don't know that."

"But I do."

"Don't do this right now. Don't fucking read me like one of your clients." I sneer gulping the rest of my scotch.

"I don't need to read you, Bella. I've known you long enough to know that when you're downing scotch at a bar on Monday night there is a particular reason. And I also know that you care about your job which is why you're going to let me take you home to your apartment and drink some water so you can wake up in the morning and continue living." I scoff in response.

His words are sharp. Living? How the hell do you do that? How do you go on living when the only reasons you were disappeared in a single instance. Five years ago you are laughing with your three year old beautiful baby girl, and the next you're on a hospital ride to the ambulance. A cab ride home has turned into the massacre of your worst nightmares and it is just you. Left only with memories.

"Jasper. Don't belittle this." I plead. I know he is not but I fight for a way to be angry with him. To feel anything other than apathetic. I need to feel a fire burn in the pit of my stomach. I need to feel love and happiness but I cannot. Instead I can only sleep with chemical aid and I envy every parent that enters my classroom.

"Do not try to push me out Bella. I cannot belittle what you feel because I have never had to experience the kind of pain you have. But I do know that as much as…" He trails off, not wanting to say her name.

"Izzy. You can say her name Jasper. It hurts less than pretending she never had one." I state staring blankly at the wall behind him.

"Izzy wouldn't want this life for you. She would not want her mother to be sad and she wouldn't want her to live her life alone and shattering all of her working organs." I felt his arm around my shoulder which is surprising as I don't feel much of anything anymore.

"I'm not an alcoholic Jasper." He nods and I stand from the stool, wobbly, but effectively nonetheless.

"I agree, Bella. But the road you're heading down is not something I can witness."

"Don't worry about your conscious Mr. Whitlock. Your soul is free from this despair." I spit shoving off his hand and standing up straight.

"I love you Izzy. Happy Birthday." I say, rubbing the heart necklace around my throat that encased a picture of her and I on her fifth birthday. This day five years ago. She would be ten today. What a beautiful ten year old she would be.

Jasper's hand returned to its spot on my shoulder as he shuffled me out of the dim lit bar. The splitting sounds of an ambulance passing by outside sobered me and instantly brought hot tears to my eyes. My face was wet but walked with Jasper down the concrete pathway silently.

"Have you called Mike?" Jasper nervously inquires. He is right to be nervous. If I wasn't too busy trying to hold myself together I would've slapped him.

"He made his choice." I snarl. If I could produce venom I'm sure I would right not. My pace quickens as the cold starts to bite through my light autumn coats. My heels click in an unwavering beat. Focusing on that I regain rhythm in my breathing.

"I feel that it would help you. You both loved her so dearly. He is her father." I let out a loud guffaw

"Well he can lean on Jessica's shoulder like he has been doing for the past three years. At least this time he doesn't have to hide it from me." Saying it out loud hurts even more. But not as much as Izzy's absence.

"I despise him more than any other human being on this planet and I always have. But you clearly are not getting any help from me and I don't know who can get through to you. I don't want to lose you Bella. I lost Izzy as well. And while she may not be my own, she was basically my niece and I cannot take losing you forever either." It could be the icy wind of the emotions but I could swear there was wetness threatening to jump down his cheeks.

The son of a marine, Jasper never cried. He was taught that men do not express their weakness. This was real though and I could sense his pain. However, I am not oblivious. I am aware that my hurt has been hurting others. Hell, that's why I go to sleep alone now. Because I pushed away the only other person in the world that had a piece of my heart. And now I'm threatening to lose my closest friend.

I can't bring myself to care though. Maybe I'm not meant to care about others. I am very terrible at it.

"I'm sorry Jasper." I mutter dryly. There is no real remorse for my actions. I feel hurt that he is hurt but I cannot bring myself to change.

"No you're not Bella. But that's okay" He replies.

Before I know it we are facing my door and I have to brave my apartment again. I couldn't bring myself to move after all this time. There's something about being as close as I can that keeps me from running. Part of me wanted to flee to the other side of the country. Part of me still wants to.

"Have you ever thought of visiting home?" I say turning to face my best friend before he turns to leave. His look is quizzical, almost understanding.

"Rarely, but yes. However, I can guess why you are asking me this and I'm going to say this one thing about the subject." I squint my eyes a little preparing to hear him berate me on wallowing in my self-pity to the point of lashing out of innocent bystanders such as himself.

"I want you to feel whole again. And if there is something deep within you that is telling you to go back to your roots, I will not, and CANNOT, tell you to do otherwise. Go home if you feel it will change the reality you eventually have to face." His lips formed a hard line and I could feel the anger he had been bottling up, too afraid to shake the shark cage.

"I'm an asshole." I state. Not as an apology, but as a recognition of my faults. He sees this and a little bit of his light comes back to his eyes.

"Goodnight Bells." He whispered giving me two quick pecks, one on each cheek. Something he picked up after backpacking across Europe. I roll my eyes and snort while sarcastically holding out my foot.

"Aren't you going to kiss my feet too my good sir?" He raises a brow and his lips form a small smirk with a tiny dimple on either side.

"Ah, if only you weren't uncultured swine." He gives me a wink before he turns on his heel and gives me a quick wave, disappearing into the darkness around the corner.

Jasper and I had been friends since college. I always wondered why we had never developed into an item. There was something about our relationship that didn't invite romance. However, his southern drawl gave me comfort in a new state and kept me at ease, even if I had been running as far from home as possible. I wonder if my life would be different if that weren't the case.

Instead I went steady with Mike Newton. A blonde haired, blue-eyed, political science major. He knew how to treat a lady and nights with him were always fun even if they weren't entirely satisfying on the sexual end. After a year or so of exclusivity he did what any self-respecting man of his stature does, he proposed on November 27th of 2003. In the heat of the moment I said yes, also knowing that a pregnancy test I had taken the other night read positive and I couldn't bring myself to tell him yet.

We rented a cute little town home two months later and were married on February 14th, 2004. How cliché, I know. But my angel was brought into the world on August 8th of 2004. And while I may not have pictured my life the way it had turned out, I felt just right. Her life was the most important thing in my own and I would do whatever it takes to make it the best we have to offer.

I couldn't have picture being T-Boned by a drunk driver the night of her fifth birthday. We had gone to the park and the zoo. She loved talking to the animals. He first day of kindergarten was next Monday and I remember thinking I didn't think I could survive a full day away from her. Little did I know I could survive much more as hard as it would be.

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**And here you have the Prologue. Please review and tell me what you think. I appreciate any form of critique as well! Thank you!**


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One is up and I am surprised to already have some followers. Thank you guys it means a lot!**

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The last ringing bell of the day brought me out of my mind and back to the present. As the students stood in alphabetized order I walked them out of the classroom and out to parent pick-up. The cool autumn air had ventured out of the night and into the day. No matter how long I had made my home here in the north east I could never quite adjust to the cold.

I was born and raised in Florida. However, I was near very few beaches in a centrally located small town. I grew up around pastures and old money, southern drawl. There was something about the pace of my new home here in the city of Boston that made it entirely too clear I was living in slow motion. Everything tends to move faster here and I use to enjoy it until I realized how much can be gone in just a second.

One second. That was all I had to register what was happening to my world.

I sigh and begin greeting the parents as they pick up their bright eyed children. Sometimes I wonder if they realize how lucky they are. And then I realize that I can't pretend to know everything about being a parent. Hell, I was only one for five years.

My phone's shrill ringtone grounds me again and I realize that my thoughts have been taking me farther and farther away from reality lately. Perhaps it is all of the drinking.

"Take a break from your wallowing for one night and come to dinner with us." Alice's soft voice is something I never realized I needed.

"Hey Alice, how are you?" I say with a sigh. Last night had been rough for Jasper as well I assume so it's not surprising he had delved into details with Alice.

Alice was Jasper's love. His whole heart. It was weird to see them together because something about them made you feel like you were intruding regardless of the setting. They reminded me of those interviews with couples sixty years in the future who say "When I saw him/her, I just knew." I never believed that bull. You can't just "know" you love someone. Nothing is ever sure and you definitely don't know if they will the one's you spend the rest of your life with. Fate doesn't work that way.

"Well I'm spectacular. Jasper isn't and I know you are worse off than him. Look, I know you and I don't know each other that well yet. But I meant it when I said that I would be here for you and I believe that you still reserve the right to grieve. Especially this week. However, I believe that all things happen for a reason and I need you to believe that too because I need you to be happy."

"Alice. I-I can't control what Jasper does I can't-"

"I know that Bella, trust me. But you do have some influence and I can't lose him." Alice's desperation was another kick in the gut. Similar to Jasper. How many people would I lose from this? How many would disappear?

"Okay. Okay I'll go out to dinner. I mean we go out all the time during the rest of the year-" but I know where this is going so I wave my white flag, mentally of course.

"You know this is different. I'm asking you to actually try. To try to be healthier. To try to move on." And with that I took a deep breath and made a promise I knew would be impossible to keep.

"Okay Alice. I will, for you and Jasper." I confirm.

"And for Izzy." Her name is a shock to the system but not as much as it had been last year, or two years for that matter.

"And for Izzy." A small smile surprisingly appearing at my lips. I had forgotten what it's like to smile.

* * *

_Flashback:_

"_We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR" I belted over my glass of sangria while I twirled around my dorm room with Rosalie, my roommate. It was my first Christmas away from home. My dad, Charlie, wasn't into holidays since my mom left and would be working all week anyway. So Rose, an international student from Australia felt like she would rather I stay with her. We would put up the Christmas tree and go "caroling" on our floor. _

"_Sit your ass down before we wake everyone up Bella!" Rose bickered sarcastically. There wasn't really anyone around for miles, or so we thought. _

_There was an abrupt and loud knock on the door that made me pause mid-sentence. _

"_I got it!" I said in a sing-songy voice as I fluttered the whole two feet to the door. Opening the door I was met with a hard stare and tight pursed lips. My buzz was making it hard to focus so I squinted a little, sizing up the person in front of me._

"_Who are you?" I say, hand on my hip._

"_My name is Jasper Whitlock and I'm afraid y'all are being way too loud." He drawled. I say drawled because there was something about the way he said y'all that made his sentence feel a thousand times longer. I hear Rose shout over my shoulder._

"_Who's that Bells?" I hear a thump and feel her sidle on up next to me._

"_This is Jasper Whitlock" I said in a fake whisper "He doesn't have any holiday spirit". Maybe it was because I was drunk, or maybe it was because his eyes glistened when I opened the door. _

_Jasper's features cracked for a second into a tiny smirk that seemed to reach his eyes. I took a minute to look at him. Blonde hair, a little longer than I usually prefer. Softer features, not too sharp. But he seemed a little lanky. Definitely not my type. But his eyes – his eyes were gorgeous. _

"_Well Jasper" Rose began, laying it on think with batting lashes and all. "Bells and I really love the holidays and since we cannot be at home for them we would like to celebrate." She finished her act with a pouted lip but it didn't even take that much. Jasper's eyes had already widened and relaxed. Rose had an effect on males that I never would. She was a strong asset as well as a total self-confidence blow. _

"_Alright ladies, can I join?" The smirk that followed was unexpected. There was more mischievousness there than I was initially expecting. Rose smiled, triumphant._

"_Of Course Jasper Whitlock, as long as you sing along." She dragged him in our room by the elbow and clicked the door shut._

* * *

I stood in front of the full length mirror thinking of how Rose and I used to do that before a big night out. Before Mike. Before Izzy.

I miss her. We've drifted apart over the years, much so because living on the other side of the world makes it incredibly difficult to keep in touch. As far as I know she's a model now. Which isn't entirely shocking. And we used to call and write each other quite often under the circumstances. She knew of the incident and flew out five years ago to be with me for about a month. I barely remember it because I was too busy trying to remember how to breathe. I feel bad that I took that time for granted but how could I have known I wouldn't see her for four more years. She had tried to bring up the subject of coming for another visit but I always brush it off. Saying not to take time off work and that the time just wasn't right. But I was ashamed. Ashamed of how broken I am. I can't let her see me like this. This isn't me.

It's weird to think that at thirty years old I've been married, divorced, and lost a child.

Sometimes I wonder if our marriage would've failed regardless. Would he have cheated even if we had spent our lives happy and ordinary? Was it me?

I hadn't worn a dress since the night after our split. I had this weird flash of confidence in which I just wanted to put on my skimpiest little black number and strut on in to a bar where some attractive guy would buy me drinks all night and eventually drag me on to the dance floor. I would never go home with him, because let's face it. Home is where I would feel vulnerable. No, we would just dance and I would pretend that I am a different person living a different life.

This dress was skimpy in fact but not too much. There was enough cleavage to make me feel feminine but the length was long enough to make me feel secure, powerful. I slapped on my heels – a new thing for me. They made it hard to slump which has happened more often since the accident. I left my hair down and slightly wavy with minimal makeup. Some liner on the eyes and neutral lips. My lashes were my best facial quality so I made sure they were equally fanned out and dark as a black hole. I made sure to leave on my stockings as it would be quite chilly and grabbed my favorite black trench. The one without any stains on it. Just as I did so there was a ring at my doorbell. I scurried down the stairs.

"Be right there Jazz!" I say grabbing my keys, phone and wallet before opening the door. Alice and Jasper stood there beaming up at me and I smiled. A genuine one. I liked to make a mental note for my therapist when these kind of things would happen. Where for a split second I realize there are still good things in life.

"You ready?" Alice said, hesitant.

"As I'll ever be." I said nodding shyly. "I haven't really been 'out' in a while so forgive me if I make things entirely too awkward." Alice slapped my arm and with a wink she said

"Girl, looking like that you could probably sing Ava Maria in a Swedish accent and everybody there would love to hear you do so." I looked at her quizzically. First, because that is the weirdest hypothetical situation I could possibly imagine. And second, because I could hardly believe I look any different than I do on a regular basis.

"How does one do that, Alice? Care to give us a show?" Jasper chided. When their eyes locked I saw love.

"Ugh, stop looking at each other like that before I vomit." I joked. Kind of.

"By the way Bella we have a little change in plans. We were originally going to just go to dinner but Jasper mentioned dancing and I just couldn't think of a better way to enjoy the night." Her statement as not a question, it was fact. I groaned and stared at my feet.

"Dancing is.." I started but Jasper interrupted.

"One of your favorite things to do. Plus you look lovely so let's go." We walked around the block to their car and got inside. I don't take taxis. And I watched the lights as they passed wondering if I could do this. It had been a long time. But how long is appropriate to grieve? How long do you wait until you can finally say "I survived."

"We're here Bella!" I snapped my head up to take a look the place was lit up brighter than the sun and the line to get in was at least one hundred people long. I hadn't waited in a line like that since college.

"What the hell? We're seriously going to a club? Aren't we a bit old for that?" I mutter incredulously.

"No, because _we"_ he said pointing to himself and Alice "are young at heart." He smiled with pride and I flipped him the bird before standing and following them toward the crowd.

"Is our name on a list or something or are we seriously gonna wait through all this?" I asked skeptically. Jasper shrugged and Alice laughed.

"No Bella! My brother works here! He's the bouncer." She pointed behind me at a grizzly bear of a man. His stature alone was intimidating, I could only imagine what he would be like telling you to leave the premises. I instantly thought of Rose and how she used to gush about the meatheads at the gym. Something about a guy who could snap her in half send all of her lady bits ablaze. I nodded with approval and followed Alice's lead as she made her way up to the grizzly bear.

"Hey M&M" she chirped from his waist. He looked down and what I saw was the cutest thing ever. He picked her up and twirled her around before setting her down and kissing her forehead. His features instantly softened into something more like a teddy bear.

"Tinker Bell. How are you little sis? You never come around here anymore and I believe the last time we had a game night was not one, but _two_ weeks ago." He said feigning anger. You could tell he didn't have a mean soul in his body though as he smiled a huge toothy grin and proceeded to unlock the red rope. He looked behind Alice at Jasper and I. His eyes lingering longer on mine before returning to hers.

"I know the boyfriend but who's the hot one?" He looked back up at me giving a wink. Under any other circumstances I would've felt uncomfortable. I would've squirmed away from his gaze or even told him off. But there was something about his look that said he knew more about me than he was letting on.

"Em, this is Bella Swan. She's one of Jasper's closest friend and now one of mine." Her little arm wrapped around my waist and I felt warmth. "Bella, this is Emmett, my big brother, but not my biggest."

I chuckled trying to imagine how anyone could get much bigger than Emmett.

"Well it is my pleasure to meet you Ms. Swan." He said with a bow. I chuckled a little extending my hand to which he kissed it and added "Let me know if I have to beat any guys away with a stick tonight."

"Well Emmett, that is an enticing offer that I may have to hold you to at some point." It's not like me to be flirtatious. I knew it was harmless though because the connection felt the same as it had with Jasper long ago, friendly but not romantic in the least.

"We will see you on your break?" Alice inquired as we shuffled inside.

"Wouldn't miss it!" Emmett shouted over his shoulder before returning to his work. I had an overwhelming urge to call Rosalie. An urge I hadn't had in a while.

"What time is it in Australia?" I ask Jasper. His eyebrows raise and he smiles a little.

"Missing your partner in crime?" I scoff a little.

"It's only criminal if you get caught isn't it?" I reply feigning ignorance. He lets out a loud laugh.

"It's roughly one in the afternoon. You should give her a call. She misses you." I look at him, confusion etched on my face.

"The hell? Have you guys been talking? Why hasn't she tried to call me?" His features look pained and I know what he's going to say will hurt.

"You stopped answering her calls." He mutters. I sigh. I pull out my phone and scroll through my contacts. I clicked on her name and listen to the phone ring.

_Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. "Hi there you've reached Rosalie Hale, sorry I can't make it to the phone right now but if you could leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!" *beeeeeeeep*_

I clear the lump in my throat.

"Hey Rose, It's Bella. I'm out at this club and I saw this bouncer and her made me think of you. I'm sorry. Bye!" I think about the amount of word vomit that I just produce and rube my face with my hands.

"Hey it's okay." Alice says quietly. "If she's a good friend she'll understand." Her words are encouraging but I need more so I make a beeline for the bar. On my way I seem to hit a wall. The wind is knocked out of my lungs and I find the ceiling to me moving away faster than I would think possible before clutching on to the first thing I can. I hadn't realized my eyes were closed until I heard a velvet voice that shook me to the core. Only, not in the way I would expect. My eyes shoot open and I'm staring at green. So much green. There's a lack of red this time but it's there. The green. The brows around the green are furrowed and I think he is speaking but I am lost. Reverting back to the past. Wishing that anyone else in the world could've caught me but this man. The bearer of bad news. The man who saw me at my worst.

* * *

_The sound of a lot of clanking and voices starts to pervade my ears. The black starts to subside as I try to lift my eyelids. The room is spinning and my head hurts like a motherfucker. I'm trying to make sense of my surroundings but there are so many voices. So much noise. I try to move but it hurts. Everything hurts. I think I groaned but I wouldn't be able to hear myself over the stifling sounds. At once I see a bright light, but not the dying kind. No this is actually a flashlight hitting my eyeballs. I close my eyes trying to get it to go away and I hear a voice._

"_Isabella? Isabella can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me please? Isabella?" His voice is so nice so I open my eyes. All I see is the most beautiful emerald green. So much green, like a field of grass. _

"_So much green.." I mutter trailing off. I have no idea where I am I'm looking for anything, any indication. The sounds start to focus I can make out actual voices. I hear the sound of a monitor. Is that a heart beat? Heart beat._

"_Where's my daughter!" I shout shooting up from my position on my back. My ribs protest instantly but I cannot feel. "My daughter? Izzy? Where is she? Please I need to see my daughter!"_

_I grip the handles of the bed I'm in and am met with a wall of blue scrubs. _

"_Isabella I need you to lie down you have suffered very substantial injuries to the head and chest and I need to take a look at these before you can move!" I do not here his words I am too busy scanning. Where is she? I remember riding in the taxi. She was singing her ABC's and we were sharing the animal crackers I had packed for lunch at the park. Daddy had left early to finish up some things in the office and it was just my little munchkin and I ready to go curl up at home and get ready for her first day of school tomorrow. _

"_Izzy?" I start yelling into the noise of people. No one turns, no one looks. "Izzy?" I shout louder. Maybe she was too far away. Maybe she was already asleep at home safe and warm._

"_Isabella lie down. I will find your daughter but you need to lie down." His voice is reassuring. I can hear him now. I look into the green again._

"_Promise?" I whisper. _

"_Promise." He says. His face a mixture of emotions. His eyes are bloodshot – like he'd been awake for years._

"_When did you sleep last?" I mutter. He chuckles._

"_Excuse me?" He chides._

"_You're eyes. They're so green but they're also red. When did you sleep last?" I feel particularly loose and airy. I look down at my arm. An IV. What the hell?_

"_Isabella do you know what today is?" The green eyes asked._

"_I know today is Izzy's birthday so August 8__th__." The air leaves his lungs and he seems defeated. _

"_Was that the wrong answer?" I ask, confused. He looks me in the eye._

"_No, It was just far too right." His answer is unsettling but I relax nonetheless._

"_What happened?" I inquire._

"_Ms. Swan you were T-Boned by a drunk driver downtown." Time seemed to slow down again as I stared into the orbs. "You were traveling with your daughter correct? Was there anyone else in the car?" His words are slow and behind them I see headlight. Blinding but fast. I grip my little girls head as I face the light head on. _

"_Isabella?" I lock eyes with him._

"_Uh, no besides the cab driver. Is he okay? Is Izzy ok? Omg Izzy. She's probably so scared she just turned five today where is she?" His face sinks and I'm afraid for him to speak._

"_Don't." I say. Hot tears building in my vision._

"_Ms. Swan everyone else at the accident died at the scene of the incident. Paramedics were able to stabilize you enough to air lift you here and you seemed to have regained consciousness quickly." Blood drains from my body. My face is wet. I can't speak._

"_Izzy." His face pales and he seems to inch closer but resists touching me in any way._

* * *

"Green." I mutter blankly. His face loses all color and I know instantly. I release my grip on his shirt and take a step back. I don't run. Instead I face him.

"Thank you." I deadpan before I push past him and continue my journey to the bar.

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**So again please tell me what you think and I apologize about my frequent typos. I just can't catch them all. **


	3. Chapter Two

**Yay chapter two. The story will pick up soon I promise you guys. Also, I have begun a story playlist on Spotify that I will link on my profile. I've always felt that music has a way of "setting the mood" when I am writing. Also, other sources on my profile are a Polyvore in which I post photo sets for outfits etc. and a tumblr that I will be updating with reviews, coments, Q&A's etc. relatively often. Thank you so much! **

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**BPOV**

"Rum & Coke please. Extra coke." I say sliding my money across the counter. The bartender cleans a class and pours it strong I down it all at once.

"Make that two." I say. My nerves are on end. That man has nothing to do with what happened that day yet I can't bring myself to forget the encounter. I grab my second drink and weave through the crowd again towards where I left Alice and Jasper. I stop in my tracks again when I see a glimpse of bronze locks. He's talking to Alice and they're laughing. Are they laughing at me? Is what happened funny to them? I feel steam rising out of my ears as if I was in some kind of cartoon and I stomp towards them furiously. When I come into Alice's view her smile does not waver and she looks at the doctor again.

"Edward, this is Bella. One of Jasper's closest friends." I stiffen. "Bella this is Edward, my biggest brother." She winks and I want to die. I want to run away before he can turn around and give me that look again. But I'm too slow and his eyes meet mine again I could hear a pin drop. His mouth forms a small 'O' and he glances from Alice and then to me. Alice looks at him curiously as to why he has not done anything.

"We've met." He says. Did his voice shake? His scotch he was sipping is quickly downed and I start to do the same. All the color has completely left my face at this point as I thought I had beat the worst already. Jasper takes one look at me and realization plagues his features.

"Edward here is a trama surgeon at Boston Medical!" Alice has yet to pick up on the tone of this greeting so I do the unthinkable. I extend my hand.

"I know Alice. Dr…" I realize I don't know his last name.

"Cullen." He offers, voice gruff.

"Dr. Cullen helped me some years back." I refused to say it out loud but Alice's eyes looked between us rapidly and if she could've thrown a punch against her own face I'm sure she would've.

"Oh. Dear god Bella I am so sorry I wouldn't have invited him had I-I had no idea I didn't think to ask-"

"Alice it's fine. Dr. Cullen is not the bad guy." I glance over and his head is cocked to the side.

"Please call me Edward." He offers. I can't. I can't make this personal. So I avoid speaking until I am asked as they try to make polite conversation. Eventually I can't take it.

"I'm going to get another drink." I offer as I turn on my heel.

"Me too." His voice sounds like rum if it could talk. I realize now why I knew who he was before I knew. That is not a voice you forget. I feel a tingle on the small of my back. I realize the buzz must've started as I seem to have a delayed reaction. I look over at Edward. He notices.

"Sorry I can move my hand I just could tell you were slurring and I didn't want you to fall again." A smirk plays on the edge of his lips. I gasp and laugh out loud.

"You're an ass how dare you!" I say jokingly but I don't move away from his touch. For a second I forget the difference between then and now. We place our orders at the bar and I look up at him again. HE's not looking at me but he speaks as if he is.

"You don't have to thank me." I know what he's saying and I shiver.

"You did your best." A weight lifts off his shoulders. I wonder if it bothers him, how many lives are lost every day.

"So green huh?" I'm taken aback by this and stare at him for a second.

"Is a color yes." I finish. He laughs. I laugh too. Is this witty banter? Haven't done this in a while.

"Your eyes are pretty." I continue. He laughs more.

"So are yours." He says. His words hit me with a woosh. I know it doesn't mean much. But it's different. Our drinks are passed to us and we make our way back to the lovebirds. I feel proud knowing that if I had seen Edward in this kind of way a couple years ago I would've went home and cried all night. But _I'm _different too.

"So Jasper, what do you do again? Sorry I know we've talked before but I have a terrible memory-" I chuckle under my straw. He gives me a look. I compose myself. He leans down to whisper to me.

"What are you laughing at. I do." I roll my eyes and whisper back.

"You seemed to remember me just fine." He smirks and shrugs but then frowns again.

"That's different." And with that I know we can drop the subject.

"Ah no it's no problem man. I'm child psychiatrist." They continue discussing careers and work life. IT eventually moves to TV shows and plans for the holidays.

"What about you Bella? What do you usually do for Thanksgiving?" Edwards question brings me back to the conversation and I look at each of them.

"The past few years I've just been bumming at Jasper's functions." The statement is loaded but no one pries. Edward takes another swig of his drink and so do it. I look over to Alice who is staring at her brother, and then at me, and then at her brother. She looks down at her feet and her head snaps up. Almost imperceptibly but because of how much I've had to drink everything is in slow motion. A crowd of people come rushing in and Edward places his hand on the small of my back again, he seems to like that spot, and shields me from the masses. I feel a tingling sensation I haven't felt in a very long time. Not even with Mike. I feel guilty. This man saw me lose my only child and now I have the hots for him? I am disgusting. I frown and gulp again.

"Why are you frowning Bella?" He whispers in my ear. I look at him under my lashes.

"I'm a despicable human being." I slur. He looks angry.

"Now why would you say such a thing." He hisses. Why is he angry? I feel like a feather and I feel my inhibitions slipping through my straw and back into the beverage. Maybe if I drink more I'll get them back…

"Bella?" He questions. Shit. Where did I go there. I giggle to myself.

"Have you ever seen Grey's Anatomy?" His face is confused but I don't register.

"McDreamy." I mutter before looking back over to my friends. I feel his breathing hitch before his thumb starts making small circles on my back. It tickles so I giggle again.

"Ooookay I think that's enough liquor for you." Jasper says taking the drink from my hand. Edward's hand stops and before I can filter myself I say

"Why did you stop?" Jasper looks at me as I have three heads but Edward's thumb begins to move again and I inch backward a little more. Closer, yes I want to be closer.

"Because it's two in the morning and we're tired?" Jasper offers. I regain myself and nod.

"Oh yes of course. If you guys are ready. I can walk home too. I know my house is the opposite direction.." Jasper begins to protest but Alice chimes in.

"Edward, you live relatively close to Bella, could she ride with you?" We all stare at Alice. They're usually not so quick to pawn me off on other individuals. I know there is motive here but I'm too drunk to figure it out.

"I think so. Would you mind riding with me Bella?" The way he says my name makes me think how many other things I'd like to ride with him. I look at him and his eyebrow is raised. Did I say that out loud? No one says anything.

"No not at all. As long as it isn't an inconvenience." He is quick to reply.

"It isn't." So we make our way to the exit, making sure to say a goodbye to Alice's other bother on the way out.

* * *

**EPOV**

We make our way through the cold wind toward my Aston. I take off my jacket and wrap it around her bare shoulders. I think about how I felt in her presence five years ago. She was my most memorable patient. Not because of her stunning presence. But because of my utter uselessness in such a situation. I could fix her broken bones and heal the wounds. But I couldn't heal a broken heart.

"My car is right over here." I say guiding her on to the sidewalk.

"She was beautiful." I heard her mutter. She was looking at me. I knew she was talking about her daughter and I wouldn't doubt she was the most beautiful little girl.

Why am I thinking these things?

"I don't doubt it." I say out loud. She smiles and begins fumbling with her wallet to find a small picture. It takes longer than what would usually be necessary but it's cute nonetheless. There are three people in the picture. Bella, her daughter, and a man who I'm guess is the father as there are some similarities. I stare long and hard. Why isn't he the one walking her to the car tonight?

"We divorced." She sneered and I realized I had said that outloud. She frowns.

"Look, if this is a burden to you or something I can walk." The coldness in her voice is clear as day. She takes back the picture and slides it back in her wallet while standing there in disbelief.

"You know" she continues "you don't have to do this for me or whatever. I am _fine._" I see some tears begin to form as she spits and wipes her mouth with the sleeve of my jacket.

"No! Bella, of course you're not a burden. I was just curious is all." I raise my hands in surrender hoping she'll see my sincerity. She sighs and opens my car door giving me her address.

"It's easy to get to the door so you won't have to park or anything." She slurs. I raise an eyebrow.

"That's quite some sass you have there, Ms. Swan." Her lips form a tight line and she just rolls her eyes.

"I just don't want you to get the wrong idea." I smirk with realization.

"What is that funny to you? The idea of sleeping with me?" She argues, I can hear the pain in her voice.

"Far from it Bella. However, I have no intentions of doing so tonight. It seems to be _you_ who has the wrong idea of _me._" I say pointing to myself. She challenges me with a raised brow eventually nodding in compliance. Who does she think she is?

"Now if you don't mind I'm going to make conversation with you while we drive to your house." She scoffed and smiled.

"Oh well don't let me stop you then Dr." I smile again and as we pull away I stick my foot in my mouth.

"So why do you push people away who try to help you?" I never was one for small talk, maybe this is why. She looks out the window and begins fidgeting with her hands.

"Look." She begins. "I don't push people away. I don't have to, they run away voluntarily."

"If that what your husband did?"

"Mike? I would say so. I mean he ran to another woman's bed." Pure venom. I always hated the name Mike.

"Well, he's an idiot."

"You're an idiot." I chuckle.

"Why am I an idiot?"

"For giving me your jacket. For falling for Alice's games. For driving me home." She lists off on her finger.

"One" I reply "I do not fall into Alice's traps. More often than not, I enter them willingly. Secondly, I will never let a defenseless woman walk home alone in the dark and cold at that."

"My knight in shining armor." She mutters sarcastically.

"Tell me about her." I say, always the masochist.

"I can't." The desperation in her voice was loud so I didn't pry.

"Where did you grow up then?" I continue.

"Central Florida."

"Disney World?" She giggles.

"No not Disney World. But close."

We continued like that until we pulled up to her apartment and I got out of the car to open her door and help her out. She was still rather wobbly but a champ nonetheless.

"Thank you Dr. Cullen." She says with a smile before unlocking her door and shuffling inside.

My father always said I was a "fixer". I see every flaw or imperfection. I empathize and I spent most of my life helping my mother survive her crippling depression. Being the oldest of my siblings, I kept it a secret. A battle that she faced and I watched, dad ignored.

I could feel the urge again. The urge to wrap her in my arms and find the missing piece.

* * *

**I do not have a strict schedule in which I will upload chapters as I have a busy week or two ahead of me but bear with me people. Please Favorite, Follow and Review!**


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